Merchandise carrier



Dec. 16-, 193.0.

E. E. ASELTINE MERCHANDISE CARRIER Filed March 26, 1929 mwr PatentedDec. 16, 1936 'uurrsn STATES PATENT OFFICE ETHAN E. ASELTINE, OF STALBANS, VERMONT MERCHANDISE CARRIER I Application filed March 26, 1929.Serial No. 350,029.

It is a further object of this invention to produce a rigid case or boxand to provide a yieldable and preferably flexible lining or envelopewhich will practically surround the sides of the bunch and hold it outof contact with the inner wall of the crate.

It is a still further object of this invention to produce a device ofthis character which can be repeatedly used and to also provide means bywhich the bunch of bananas can be expeditiously stored in eachcompartment or removed therefrom, and in which the en.-

velope or guard may be expeditiously fastened around the bananas afterthey have been installed in the crate or box.

- It is noted that the terms box and crate have been used alternatelyherein and it is the purpose of the inventor that the rigid box, housingor crate may be of any appropriate material which will serve to protectthe fruit in shipment.

Furthermore, it is the purpose of the inventor that the units maycomprise one or a plurality of compartments arranged side by side or oneabove the other, each compartment having the envelope or fruitprotecting 55 lining.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists inthe details of construction, and in the arrangement and combination ofparts to be hereinafter more fully set forth and claimed.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to theaccompanying drawings forming part of this application, where- 5 in likecharacters denote corresponding parts in the several views, and in whichFigure 1 illustrates a view in elevation, partly in section of ashipping crate embodying the invention; 7

3;- Figure 2 illustrates a perspective view of a unit with the envelopesecured to encircle the fruit;

Figure 3 illustrates a sectional view on the line 33 of Fig. 1;

Figure 4 illustrates a sectional view thereof with the envelope open forthe reception of the bananas; and

Figure 5 illustrates a sectional view of a fragment of the deviceshowing the bananas suspended therein.

In the present embodiment of the invention, the crate, box, or housing 6is formed by walls which enclose it, except at one side and the openside is intended for the insertion and removal of the fruit.

A fruit encasing or embracing envelope 7 may consist of burlap or otherfibrous material. or cloth, but in practice burlap has been foundsatisfactory. The cloth is inserted in the container, as shown in Fig.4:, and its longitudinal edges may be secured to the side walls of thecontainer in any appropriate way, or to other parts of the structure, asdesired. The fabric is here shown as being secured to the innersidewalls by fastenings 8, such as tacks or the like, and the said fabric isconnected to the inner side and rear walls of the container by flexibleelements 9, such as loops or strips of cloth or cord of proper strength,it being the purpose of the inventor that these elements shall serve tostay the envelope and prevent it from undue movement under the influenceof the movement of the bananas while the container is being handled inshipment.

A hanger or bracket 10 is secured to the top of the container at itsinner surface and this bracket may be of any appropriate construction,capable of supporting the weight of a bunch of bananas, and it isintended to be engaged by a hook 11 or other connection between thebunch of bananas and the bracket, although other means for suspendingthe bunch of bananas in the container may be employed.

After the bananas have been inserted in the container and envelope, thesaid envelope is drawn closely around the bananas and se' curedtherearound by ties or devices 12 engaging the said envelope between thelocations of the anchorage of its edges and the bananas which theenvelope encircles or partly encircles. Any appropriate securing deviceor tie may be employed and it may be provided with any of the well knownfriction or tongue buckles or other means to insure an adjust- 'ment andsecurement thereafter which will prove eflective in holding the envelopeor protector around the bananas, as it is shown in Figs. 3 and 5.

I claim:

1. In a shipping device for bunches of bai V nanas, a casing having anopen side, a flexible member having its edges securedat the sides of theopening of the container and having its body looped rearwardly into thecontainer, stays connecting the flexible member to the inner Walls ofthe casing whereby the flexible member will be held in spaced relationto the said walls, and means engaging the flexible member between thelocations of the anchorage of its edges to the container and bananaswhich may be embraced by said flexible member for drawing the flexiblemember around the bananas. V v

, 2. In a shipping device for bunches of bananas, a casing having anopen side, a flexible member adapted to partially encircle a bunch ofbananas, means connecting the said flexible member to the sides of thecasing operative to hold the flexible member in spaced relation to thesaid sides, means for securing the longitudinal edges of the flexiblemember to sides of the casing, and means secured to the flexible memberbetween its edges and a bunch of fruit partially embraced by saidflexible member for drawing the flexible member into close contact withthe fruit and exerting a pull on the stays. r

ETHAN E. ASELTINE.

